This is the shocking moment Ukrainian troops used drones to eliminate two Russian soldiers riding a jet ski.
Incredible footage has captured a pair of Vladimir Putin’s men being chased and eliminated in a pinpoint attack by a first-person view (FPV) drone on the Dnieper River.
It shows invading soldiers speeding through the water as a 10-inch Shuriken 10 FPV drone chases after them, but the soldiers most likely won’t hear it due to the sound of the jet ski’s engine.
When the drone crashes into the back of the jet ski, it explodes in a fireball.
Another camera angle shows the flash of light on the river as the men and the jet ski suddenly stop moving and sink.
Incredible footage has captured a pair of Vladimir Putin’s men being hunted down and eliminated in a pinpoint attack by a first-person view (FPV) drone on the Dnieper River.
The video shows the invading soldiers speeding through the water as a 10-inch Shuriken 10 FPV drone chases them, but the soldiers most likely don’t hear it due to the sound of the jet ski’s engine.
When the drone crashes into the back of the jet ski, it explodes in a fireball.
One of the soldiers was reportedly killed in the explosion and the other swam away.
But a second drone was sent after him, found him, and exploded above him as he swam, with sparks flying into the air like fireworks.
The use of jet skis, like motorcycles, is designed to increase speed and maneuverability when traveling along the river to minimize the time spent outdoors.
The Dnieper River and its canals are extremely dangerous for travel due to constant monitoring by reconnaissance drones, as well as the presence of attack drones and river mines.
The Russians are also trying to minimize river operations as much as possible by shifting some logistics to large agricultural drones that deliver food and ammunition, some of which carry up to 40 kilograms over a distance of nine miles.
The astonishing skill of Ukrainian drone pilots is the latest example of the nation using technology to defend itself since Putin first invaded in February 2022.
Soldiers of the Armed Forces inspect FPV drones during the delivery of the volunteer organization on September 13, 2024 in Lviv, Ukraine.
A Ukrainian soldier prepares a first-person view (FPV) drone to attack Russian troops in a position near the front line on September 25, 2024.
A Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier holds an FPV drone during a delivery to a volunteer organization on September 13, 2024.
Since early 2023, cheap, explosive flying machines have become one of kyiv’s biggest success stories in a war that has become a battle of attrition and resources.
Unmanned weapons systems have already proven extremely effective in attacking key Russian targets.
Marine drones have sunk several warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and in recent months, kyiv has successfully deployed long-range drones to attack infrastructure hundreds of kilometers behind the Russian border.
As the war continues to drag on, depleting ammunition, equipment and manpower, both sides have begun turning to FPVs to keep themselves at bay while they rearm.
Typically the drones, which cost around £300 each, will be used to attack high-value assets such as tanks and artillery systems, worth millions of pounds each.
But they are increasingly being used to harass individual soldiers on the front lines.
A Ukrainian military FPV drone pilot while placing an explosive on an FPV drone on the front line near Bakhmut on October 24, 2023 in Bakhmut, Ukraine.
A Ukrainian Marine attends FPV drone flight training on May 15, 2023
Ukraine has been at the forefront of adopting this technology: troops waging psychological warfare online, sharing graphic clips of a suicide drone’s final moments while chasing motorcycles and quads; immerse yourself in a group of stretcher bearers; attack smoking soldiers in trenches or hunt down isolated troops as they run for their lives.
Although kyiv was the first to take the lead in using cheap drones, military analysts say Russia now has the advantage, having reportedly stocked up on large numbers of flying robots and equipped them with sophisticated equipment.
The effectiveness of attack robots has left the industry searching for ideas on how to counter them. Various militaries have tested everything from electronic jammers and disruptor guns to web-shooting rifles.